Paper Giant

Recommended ReadsFebruary 2nd, 2021

Doing better to decolonise societies

Laura Wilkinson
Laura Wilkinson, Co-Design Lead

Every year on the 26th of January, I stand in disbelief at the commentary surrounding this day. This year I took the time to understand more, challenge myself and consider our individual roles in dismantling and decolonising our societies.

Greg Phillips’ article No republic without a soul: Exorcising the ghosts of colonialism is as relevant to the Australia Day conversation as it is the debate around Australia becoming a republic. While such decisions and debates are important symbolically, they do not represent the end of the actions we must take.

His article is a timely reminder that there is more we can all do after the protest footage and the social media posts have ended. By engaging in what Phillips refers to as ‘transformational unlearning’, we begin to understand how colonisation is “deployed daily in Australia through the values of whiteness – whiteness not being people’s ethnicity or their skin colour, but habitus or mindset.” And while “unlearning this belief system is a serious shock to one’s sense of self”, it’s something we all need to do.


Sign up to Paper Giant

Each month, our team share their thoughts on design-related topics, reflect on current social issues and share what’s happening in and out of the studio. We'll also include an invitation to our monthly meet up, Office Hours. We'd love you to join us.

Three paper airplanes flying through the air into people's inboxes.
Paper Giant

aboriginal torres-strait-flag-aef0540607072f1ce16f935008c2924e

We pay our respects to the traditional custodians of the lands on which we live and work, and to the traditional custodians of the lands and waters which we may visit upon in our work. We acknowledge their elders past and present. Indigenous sovereignty has never been ceded. It always was, and always will be Aboriginal land.

LGBTQ-flag-697ae3061d5202c4db61c0d0b3829b50

Paper Giant is a proudly inclusive organisation and an ally of the LGBTIQ+ community.